Is it possible to use SEMrush, one of the world’s most popular SEO and digital marketing tools, for free? Absolutely! Whether you’re a blogger or aspiring marketer on a budget, SEMrush offers free access— both with a permanent free plan and an extended free trial of its premium features.
This guide explains exactly how to use Semrush for free, what you can (and can’t) do without a paid subscription, and how to make the most of every feature before you decide to upgrade.
Want to dive deeper? Check out my full SEMrush guide for beginners!
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ToggleWhat is Semrush, and Can You Use it for Free?
Semrush is a super helpful online marketing tool. It’s great for making your website or business more popular and successful online.
It can improve things like your website’s position in search engine results and your social media game and even help you turn visitors into customers. Semrush is not just about SEO and content; it also helps with market research, ads, and social media.

It’s been around since 2008, starting with just 2 tools. Now, 16 years later, it has grown significantly and offers over 50 different tools. These tools assist with various tasks.
You can find the best keywords, check your website’s health, keep an eye on your competitors, and make your ads better. Over 7 million people worldwide use Semrush because it’s like a Swiss Army knife for online marketing.
SEMrush is an all-in-one online marketing suite that assists with:
- SEO and keyword research
- Site audits and on-page optimization
- Competitor analysis
- Social media management
- Content writing and topic research
- Advertising (PPC) insights
- Backlink building and monitoring
If you’re thinking about trying Semrush, there’s good news. They offer a free trial. This trial lets you use either the Semrush Pro or Guru plan without paying anything for 7 days. During this trial, you can explore all the cool things Semrush can do.
In this article, I’ll show you all the awesome stuff you can do with the Semrush Pro plan during your free trial. This way, you can see for yourself if it’s the right tool for your marketing needs.
How To Use Semrush Free Trial?
How to Use the Free Trial of SEMrush Premium Plans
Start exploring full features risk-free for 7 days

Step 1: Sign In
Go to the SEMrush landing page and sign in with your account.

Step 2: Enter Card Details
Provide your credit card details to enable the trial.

Step 3: Click “Start for Free”
Navigate to the pricing page and choose the free trial option.

Optional: Cancel Anytime
Cancel within 7 days to avoid charges and still enjoy the benefits.
- On the SEMrush landing page, sign in.
- Enter your credit card details.
- Go to plans and pricing, and select “Start for Free” to begin your 7-day free trial of premium plans.
Note: If you skip the trial, you won’t be able to download files or access the full features that SEMrush offers. You’ll only see limited results. But if you enter your credit card details, you’ll get full access for 7 days. Remember, you can cancel the service before the 7-day period ends to avoid any charges.
So, it’s up to you which way you want to go. These steps make it easy to start using SEMrush for free, depending on your needs.
Semrush SEO Toolkit Comparison Table:
Feature | Pro | Guru | Business |
---|---|---|---|
Projects | 5 | 15 | 40 |
Keyword Research Reports | 10,000 | 30,000 | 50,000 |
Position Tracking Keywords | 500 | 1,500 | 6,000 |
Site Audits (Pages Crawled) | 100,000 | 300,000 | 1,000,000 |
Content Marketing Toolkit | Limited | Full Access | Full Access |
Historical Data | – | ✓ | ✓ |
API Access | – | – | ✓ |
How to Use Semrush For Free Without a Credit Card?
Here’s how to use Semrush for free without entering your credit card details:
- Go to the SEMrush website.

- Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
- Click on “Start Your Free Trial.”

- Sign up using your email address and password, or use your Google account.

- After signing in, choose between the “Pro” or “Guru” plan.
- Click on “Skip Trial” to go to the SEMrush dashboard.
- Now, you can use SEMrush’s limited features for free without entering any credit card details.
How to Maximize the SEMrush Free Trial
- Set Up Projects Immediately: Track key sites and competitors from the start.
- Audit Multiple Sites: Use the high limits to diagnose issues on all your domains (or client sites) during the trial.
- Deep Keyword Research: Run as many keyword, competitor, and backlink reports as possible.
- Export Data: Download and save valuable reports, lists, or audit results for later use.
- Explore Content and Ad Tools: Test topic research, on-page SEO, content templates, and advertising insights.
Pro tip: Use the trial to test SEMrush’s full workflow—then decide if upgrading is worth your needs.
SEMrush Pricing Plans:
SEMrush has three main plans you can choose from, depending on what you need:

Pro Plan ($129.95/month or $108.33/month if paid yearly):
- Best for freelancers, small startups, and marketers on a budget.
- Offers tools for checking out competitors, finding keywords, building links, and improving your website.
- You can work on 5 different projects, track 500 keywords, check 100,000 web pages, and get 10,000 results in each report.
Guru Plan ($249.95/month or $208.33/month if paid yearly):
- Great for small to medium businesses and growing agencies.
- Includes everything from the Pro plan, plus extra stuff like content audits, topic research, and access to past data.
- Lets you have 15 projects, track 1,500 keywords, and check 300,000 web pages.
Business Plan ($499.95/month or $416.66/month if paid yearly):
- Perfect for big agencies, E-commerce sites, and large businesses.
- Has all the Guru features plus API access, special analytics, and can handle large websites (up to 1 million pages).
- You can manage 40 projects, track 5,000 keywords, and check up to 1,000,000 pages.
So, depending on your budget and needs, you can pick the plan that fits you best. The more you pay, the more features and capacity you get.
Let me breakdown the comparison of the pricing plans and its features in a table for you all:-
Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan | Guru Plan | Business Plan |
Price/Month (Monthly) | $0 | $119.95 | $229.95 | $449.95 |
Price/Month (Yearly) | $0 | $99.95 | $191.62 | $374.95 |
Number of Projects | 1 | 5 | 15 | 40 |
Domain & Keyword Analytics (Per Request) | 10 results | 10,000 results | 30,000 results | 50,000 results |
Historic Data | Not available | Not available | Available | Available |
Trends (Per Day) | 10 results | 3,000 results | 5,000 results | 10,000 results |
Site Audit (Per Month) | 100 pages | 100,000 pages | 300,000 pages | 1,000,000 pages |
Position Tracking | 10 keywords | 500 keywords | 1,500 keywords | 5,000 keywords |
On-Page SEO Checker | 10 keywords | 500 keywords | 800 keywords | 2,000 keywords |
PPC Keyword Tool | No CPC and volume data | 500 keywords | 1,500 keywords | 6,000 keywords |
Keyword Magic Tool (Per Day) | 10 reports | 3,000 reports | 5,000 reports | 10,000 reports |
Content Marketing Platform | Not available | Not available | Available | Available |
Agency Growth Kit | Not available | +$100/month | +$100/month | +$100/month |
When looking at SEMrush’s different plans, it’s easy to see how each one is designed for different types of users. The Free Plan is great if you’re just starting out or if you don’t need many features.
It’s pretty basic but still useful. The Pro Plan is a step up and works well for small businesses or freelancers who need more detailed information and can handle a few projects at once.
If you’re growing a bit bigger, like a small or medium-sized business, the Guru Plan is better because it gives you more tools like historical data and a content marketing platform.
Lastly, the Business Plan is the most advanced. It’s perfect for really big companies or agencies that have a lot of online work to do. It offers the most features and lets you do a lot more. So, the plan you choose should match how much you need SEMrush for your work or business.
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SEMrush Free Plan vs Free Trial: Pros & Cons
Pros
- No credit card required for free plan or basic trial access
- Explore real SEMrush tools without risk
- Run audits and research even on a $0 budget
- Learn SEO basics and measure site health immediately
- Upgrade only if/when value is proven for your use case
Cons
- Very tight data/reporting limits on the free plan
- No advanced features (content platform, historical data, bulk checks)
- Free trial is temporary (7–14 days); requires commitment after
- Many premium tools hidden until you upgrade
FAQs – How to Use Semrush for Free
Q: Is there a permanent free plan for SEMrush?
A: Yes! It’s limited, but always available at no cost.
Q: How do I start the free trial?
A: Go to SEMrush.com, register, select “Start Free Trial”, and follow the prompts. Choose “Skip Trial” to stay on the free tier if you wish.
Q: What if I need more resources?
A: Use the trial to test, then consider upgrading as your needs grow.
Q: Does the free plan require a credit card?
A: No, just an email to sign up.
Q: Can I keep using SEMrush after my trial ends?
A: Yes, but you’ll revert to the limited free plan unless you upgrade.
Conclusion: How to Use Semrush For Free?
That wraps up my guide on how to use Semrush for free, including the free plan and the free trial of Semrush Pro. I hope this article has given you a clear understanding of Semrush’s free and premium offerings.
Hopefully, this guide has not only shown you how to use Semrush for free but also helped you decide whether to stick with the free plan or upgrade to Semrush Pro after trying out the 7-day free trial.
If you decide SEMrush is worth it, use annual billing for the best deal. If not, you’ve still learned valuable skills—completely for free!